Fishplate



Mam}! 1932 v E. e. MARKLEW 1,850,805

FISHPLATE Filed Oct. 8, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR R lirywslGeagefiacfiem q BY J nmkfzldl I w 7 M 1225 ATTORNEYS March 22, 1932 EMARKLEW 1,850,305

FISHPLATE Filed Oct. 8, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 m7 g P 'INVENTOR 1222166001 0 Marika r,

HIS ATTORNEKS March 22, 1932. E. G. MARKLEW 1,850,805

FISHPLATE Filed Oct. 8, 1930 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 \NY NY v RN Mg MW INVENTORe sl Gemye Mmfilam 11 ATTORNEIZS' with the accompanying drawings,wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in front elevation, showing a fish plate constructedin accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the fish plate of tion of the arrows.

' Figure 5 is a view in horizontal section, taken through a rail jointformed of two fish plates of the character shown in Figure 1, andshowing the joint insuch position as to accommodate the maximumcontraction of the rails.

Figure 6 is a view in front elevation, showing a modified form of fishplate. igure 7 is'a planview of the fish plateof Fi re 6. r

igure 8 is a view in section, taken on line 88 of Figure 6, and lookingin the direction of the arrows. T

Figure 9 is a view in section, taken on line 9-9 of Figure '6, andlooking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 10 is aview in longitudinal section, similar to Figure 5, showinga rail joint formed of fish plates of the character show i in Figures 6,7, 8 and 9.

Figure 11 is a view in section, taken on line 11-11 of Figure 10 andlooking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 12.is a view in transverse section, taken through the centralplane of a rail joint embodying fish plates of a slightly modified'construction; I I r .Figure 13 is a view in elevation from the insideofanother form the improved fishplate may take.

Figure 14 is a plan view of Figure 13;

Figure 15 is a view in section on line 15-15 of Figure 13. a

Figure 16 is a view in section on line16-'16 of Flgure 13.

Figure 17 is a view in cross section ofa rail showing the joint.

Figure 18 is a view in horizontal cross section of the joint on line1818 of Figure 17.

Figure 19 is a plan view of the joint.

Referring particularly to Figures 1 through 5, the adjacent ends of tworails are indicated at 1, these rails having bolt holes 2 formed thereinin the usual fashion. I

A fish plate 3 is formed with upper and lower fishing edges 4 and 5,respectively, these edges being received between the rail head and thebottom flange thereof in the usual manner. Apertures 6 are formed in oneI end of the fish plate 3 to cooperate with the corresponding apertures2 of'one of the rails.

operate with the corresponding apertures 2 in a rail to receive suitablebolts 8. These bolts are of standard "construction and are usedinterchangeablyv in connection with any of the holes described herein.

In the intermediate section of the fish plate,

an upwardly extending boss 9 is formed, the upper surface 10 of which isadapted to lie in the plane of the top of the rail head and thus form acontinuation thereof. The boss is also extended inwardly, and formedwith a face 11 which lies in the central vertical plane of the rail. Inmounting the above described plate 3, the boss 9 is properly spaced withrespect to the adjacentv circular aperture 6 to receive the rail endsnuglybetween the edge of the shoulder 12 and the adjacent aperture. Thefish plate is thus rigidly secured to the corresponding rail end andexpands and contracts therewith. The other end of the plate is formed insuch manner that the edge of the boss'13 is spaced a distance from theadjacent elongated aperture 7 equal to the distance betweenthe shoulder12 and the adjacent aperture 6.

The joint is completed by providing a co operating fish plate 14 whichis fornied'similarly to plate 3 and which has its elongated apertures 15lying opposite the circular apertures 6 ofthe plate 3, thefcircularapertures 16 of'plate l4 lying opposite the elongated apertures 7ofplate 3. The boss 17 of plate 14 thus is rigidly secured to the railend to which the fish plate 3 is slidablysccured and its shoulder 18thus snugly abuts its cooperating rail end. I The other shoulder 19moves with respect to'the right hand rail as viewed inzFi 'ure 5 when exansion or contraction b 7 relative movement of the adjacent rail endswill be provided for by space afforded betwgen'the' shoulders and therespective rail en s.

In the construction shown in Figures 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11, a fish plate20 is formed with apertures in the manner similar to that described inconnection with the plates 3 and 14. An upper boss 21 is formed on eachplate and is provided with an upper surface 22 which conforms to theprofile of the rail head the boss being formed with a face 23 which liesin the vertical central plane of the rail, in the manner described inconnection with the face 11. A reinforcing portion 24 is also formedonthe plate and provided with downwardly depending boss 25, within whicha bolt hole 26 is formed. The inner face 27 of the boss 'lies in theplane of face 23, a longitudinal groove 28 thusbeing provided betweenthe upper and lower bosses. The cooperating fish plate is similarlyformed and provided with a longitudinal groove and when the joint isassembled, a key 29, indicated in dot and dash lines in Figure 8, is

inserted in thecooperating grooves to cause the fish plates to berigidly Inounted' agaifnst relative movement in a vertical plane." Itwill thus be seen that, should one of the bosses 21 of the fish platesreceive the entire--'g.ravi- I tational load of a Wheel,- the key 29'willcause fish plates due to the gravitational stresses which areexerted upon the sloping faces 32 of the rails and the lowerfishingedges .5 of the plates. Since the bolt holes 26 are elongated, this boltdoes notprevent the relative movement of the fishplatesiand thus the expansion and contraction of therails.

In the construction shown in Figure 12, the

fish plates are formed with interengaging tonguesland grooves which, inthe form shown herein, include a longitudinal rib 33 7 formed upontheupwa'rdly extending boss $34 of one of the plates which ribiisadapted to be received; within a longitudinal groove 35,

formed within the upwardly extending boss 36 of the cooperating plate.The plate carry- 7 ing the boss 36 is likewise formed with'a lon V'gitudinal tongue-or rib 37 which is received within a cooperatinggroove 38inthe plate which carries the boss 34, In this construction,thekey 29 is dispensed with and the .interen'gaging portions formeddirectly on the cooperating plates. 7 V From the foregoing, it will beseen thatthe cooperating fish plates are effectively inter connected toinsure thecomplete distribution of stressesbetween the-plates and thusprevent llljlillOUS strains. from being impressed upon onlyone plate.The plates are furthermore effectively prevented from being separated bymeans of the bolt and as a result,

- a rail'connection is provided, the strength" of which -i-s fullypreserved, at the same time afiording adequate provlslon for theexpansion'an'd contraction of the rails.-

Referring. to Figures 13 to 16 the fishplate 101 hasa central upwardlyprojecting portion 102 which fits between the headset the rails tobe-joinedJ In the'illustrati'on the fishpla te alsohas a downwardprojection 103 which entends below the lowerfishingsurfaces 104 ofthefishplatea, The upperv extension102is-ofsuch a widththat it will notcompletely fill the gap betweenlthe rail ends to be :joinedbutwill allowa suitablespace for expansion; This upper extension is made of twowidths. The thicker part 105" maybe approximately'two thirdsof thetransverse width of the rail head to be used therewith, whilst thenarrowerpart 106, .isapproximatelyone-third of, the width of the .said

rail head. The: part of greater, width 105 has thewidth of the railhead;

a corresponding part 107 of similar width thereto directly below it,but-the two parts 105 and 107 are-separated by a gap 108. Di- Irectlybelowxtheportionf106 is another portion 109' of similar'widththereto, but between "106" and 109 there is a projection 110 which, isof approximately the same width 1 i as the parts 105 and 107 In effectthen the central portions 102and 103 of the fishplate 7 constitute aportion having a width which is substantially one-third of the width ofthe rail head and which has" thereon threeprojections, 105,-107 and 110' which project. inwardly from this surface. NVhen this fish plate isused :with a cooperating similarly cforn'ied f fish plate, theprojections and grooves formed thereon interengage to. perunit relativeaxial movement without permit, ting relative vertical movement; j

The fishplates atone endhave' circular.

holes 111 which are a close fit for the fishbolts. The holes 112 at theother endsof the fishplates are slotted holes to permit relative axialmovement of the plates. The fishplate I is so formed that when bolted-toa rail end,l V. the surface 113 shall make contact withthe end oftherail to whiclithatparticular fish plate is rigidly connected, owingtothe bolts which .pass through and are a close fit inthe holes 111. Theexpansion gap is betwee'n the surfacelle and the rail endadj'acentithereto.

It wi'll'b'e noted that the bolts whichisecure this :second' 'rail endto thefishplate pass through slotted'holes in this fishplate andaccordingly' permit the .fishplate to moverelatively to that rail endtovtake up expansion contraction due totemperature variations.

.' A feature which will be clear from inspection-of Figure 18 is thatthefishbolt's1-123 V 105 are moufntedyin such mannerthat their nuts 124engage the fixediendsof the fish plates,

thus eliminating movement of the fish plates below such nuts. Thezpartsof the fish plates which move have the heads 125 ofthe fish I boltsincontact therewith. This feature will be foundadvantageous since there isno tendency for thenuts to back awayfrom the plates if there is nomovement of the fishplate surface against which-the nuts engage. Toprevent the bolts fromturning whilcthe nuts are being tightened the fishplates above and below the'slotted holes 112 are provided with fins orribs 126 which prevent the heads 125 of the'bolts'from turning.

From an inspection ofFigui'e 19, it will be seen .thati the abovedescribed construction providesthree expansion gaps, each substantiallyone third. of the widthof the rail'head, These. gaps are shownfat. 127,,128, and 129.-

The wheel load therefore is;carrie dby an Y amount of metal eq ivalent.to two, thirds of While the invention; has been described 0 .withspecificreference tothe accompanying.

drawings,it is not to be limited, save as defined in the appendedclaims. j

I claim as my invention:

described end of the other plate to another rail, means to secure theother ends of the plates to the ralls with provision for relativemovement with respect to the rails, wheel supporting sections on theplates, and interengi1ging portions on the plates to prevent relativemovement there-between vertically.

2. A connection "of the character described comprising, cooperatingopposed fish plates, means to secure'one end of one of the platesrigidly to a rail, means to secure the opposite end of the other plateto another rail, means to secure the other ends of theplates to therails with provision for relative movement with respect to the rails,wheel supporting sections on the plates, and interengaging portions onthe plates adjacent the wheel supporting sections to prevent relativemovement therebetween vertically.

3. connection of the character described comprising cooperating opposedfish plates, means to secure one end of one: of the plates rigidly to'arail, means to secure the opposite plates adjacent the wheel supportingsections to prevent relative movement therebetween vertically. 4. Aconnection of the character described comprising cooperating opposedfish plates,

I means to secure one end of one of the plates rigidly to a rail, meansto secure the opposite end of the other plate to another rail, means tosecure the other ends of the plates to the rails with provision forrelative movement 'with respect to the rails, wheel supporting Y withrespect to the rails, wheel supporting sections on'the plates, alongitudinal groove in oneof the plates, and a rib on the other plateengaging the groove.

6. A connection of thefcha'racter described comprising opposed fishplates, means to secure one end of one of the plates rigidly to a rail,means to secure the opposite end of the other plate toanother rail,means to secure the other'ends of the plates to the rails with provisionfor relative movement with respect tothe rails, wheel supporting.sections on the plates, a recess in one of the plates, and means carriedby the other plate to engage the recess.

7. A connection of the character described comprising cooperatingopposed fish plates, means to secure one end of one of the platesrigidly to a rail, means to secure the opposite end of the other plateto another rail, means to secure the other ends of the plates to'therails with provision for relative movement means to secure one end ofone of the plates rigidly to a rail, means to secure the opposite end ofthe other plate to another rail, means to secure the other ends of theplates to the rails with provision for relative movement with respect tothe rails, a wheel supporting boss on each plate formed with face lyingin a vertical plane parallel to the axis of the rails, a shoulder oneach boss abutting the end of the rail to which the boss is securelyfixed,

and the said shoulders of the bosses being spaced from the other rails,and interengaging means between the opposed bosses.

9. A connection of the character described comprising cooperatingopposed fish plates, means to secure one end of one of the platesrigidly to a rail, means to secure the opposite end of the other plateto another rail, means to secure the other ends of the plates to therails with provision for relative movement with respect to the rails, awheel supporting boss oneach plate formed with a I face lying in avertical plane parallel to the axis of the rails, a shoulder on eachboss abut I ting the end of the rail to which the boss is securely fixedand the said shoulders of the bosses being spaced from the other rails,a lower boss on each plate below and spaced from the first bosses, f andinterengaging means between the bosses.

plates "to the rails with provision for relative movement" with respectto the rails, a

wheel supporting boss on each plate formed with a face lying in avertical plane parallel to the axis of the rails, a shoulder on eachboss Lasdsoi 1 s bosses being spaced from the other rails, a 7

lower boss on each. plate below and spaced from the first bossesinterengaging means between the bosses, and a bolt securing the 7 lowerbosses together.

11. A connection of the character described comprising cooperatingopposed fishplates,

means tosecure one end of one of the plates rigidly to a rail, means tosecure theopposite end of the other plate to another rail,imeans or tosecure the other ends of the plates to the rails with provisionforrelative movement with respect to the rails, a wheel supporting bosson eachplate formed with a face lying.

in a vertical plane parallel to the axis of the rails',,one shoulder ofeach boss. abutting the end of the rail to which the boss is securelyfirst bosses interengaging means a between the lower bosses, an,aperture in the other,

engaging means'between the rail ends and the bosses, an elongatedaperture in one of boss,.ancl a bolt in the apertures securing thebosses together.- 7

12. A connection of the character described comprising cooperatingopposed fish plates, means to secure the fish plates rigiclly to a railat one end, means-to secure the other ends of the plates to the end ofan adjacent rail with provision, for relative movement with respect tothe plates, wheel supporting sections on the plates, and interassociatedwith the plates to prevent relative movement thereof in a verticalplane.

This specification signedithis thirteenth day of September, A. D. 1930.

ERNEST GEORGE ARKLEW. p

